Improvement of figure accuracy of electroformed mirrors for x-ray telescopes

Abstract

Wolter mirrors work as imaging optics of X-ray telescopes. We have been developing a Wolter mirror for the FOXSI-4 project in 2023 using a high-precision Ni electroforming process. The figure accuracy of mirrors is one of the main factors determining the spatial resolution in X-ray imaging. In this study, we optimized the electrodeposition conditions from the viewpoint of the uniformity of film thickness. The simulation model was developed to correctly predict the film thickness distribution before fabrication, whose parameters and boundary conditions were determined through electrochemical experiments. The model calculates the distribution of current density on the surface of the cathode by finite element analysis. In this paper, we report the current status of the electroforming process specializing in Wolter mirrors in X-ray telescopes.